Today I’m going to share some pictures I’ve taken of things in Japan that I’ve never seen before in the U.S.
The picture above is a QR Code. I see them everywhere here, even at McDonalds. They’re on buildings, billboards, magazine ads, product packages, etc. You take a picture with your cell phone and it brings up information or a website.
From Wikipedia: A QR Code is a matrix code (or two-dimensional bar code) created by Japanese corporation Denso-Wave in 1994. The “QR” is derived from “Quick Response”, as the creator intended the code to allow its contents to be decoded at high speed. QR Codes are common in Japan where they are currently the most popular type of two dimensional code.
The picture of the shochu bottles above were explained to me as a “bottle keep” and from my understanding these are unfinished bottles of alcohol. If a person comes in (probably with a group) and orders a bottle but they don’t finish it the restaurant will put the person’s name on it so that person can enjoy the tasty beverage which they’ve already paid for during their next visit. That’s awesome!
Continue reading ‘Things I’ve never seen before’
Out with the cheap coffee maker, in with the …. WHAT WHAT!? I just read this article at the New York Times website and had to share. The Japanese siphon coffee maker at the Blue Bottle Café in San Francisco was imported from Japan and cost more than $20,000 USD (That’s 2,130,399 Yen at the time of this post. See the conversion at Yahoo). It’s halogen-powered and looks like a chemistry set. That’s a ton of cash for the Japanese coffee maker. Are they serious about coffee? I’m going with “Yes” but are they a bit crazy about coffee? I’m going with “Yes” on that one too. Hmmm, I wonder if that cost included the shipping as well.
Ready for some pictures? Click the picture to see the slide show of images at the New York Times showing the step-by-step process of how coffee is made using the siphon bar.
And an awesome quote from the article:
“The whirlpool, it messes with your mind,” said Mr. Freeman, who practiced stirring plain water for months to develop muscle memory before he brewed his first cup of siphon coffee. “There’s no way to rush it.”
Here’s another interesting quote:
“Siphon coffee is very delicate,” he said. “It’s sweeter and juicier, and the flavors change as the temperature changes. Sometimes it has a texture so light it’s almost moussey.”
Here’s an informational siphon coffee machine video I found on youtube which you might find interesting.
Continue reading ‘The $20,000 Japanese Coffee Maker’
So… I was watching one of my favorite channels - Shop Channel (It’s like QVC [they have it in Japan too] or Home Shopping Network in the U.S.). People are always working hard and I’ve seen quite a few awkward moments, it’s awesome, I kid you not! What’s the difference of Shop Channel and QVC Japan vs. QVC America? Here’s a quick breakdown.
- QVC America tries to sell you crap you’ll never use and takes calls from old people.
- Shop Channel and QVC Japan tries to sell THE CRAZIEST THINGS I’VE EVER SEEN!
The other day while watching Shop Channel I saw some younger woman wearing a gold moon suit looking plastic bag outfit, reading a book, and relaxing in a bath while sweating her balls off. I’m like WTF! So I took some ghetto pics of my TV and had my fiancee type the words out in Japanese and I hit up Google. Here are my ghetto pictures.
Here are some failed Google Translations:
- Big exercise and sweat bath water-soluble out from the sweat glands, sweat, urine and most of the same component
- After more than 30 km marathon run, sweat glands and milk served with sweat
Here are some details I was able to make out: Continue reading ‘Detox And Lose Weight At Bathtime!’
I’ve seen some amazing and interesting things here in Japan so far and here are some photos of the smallest Coke I’ve ever seen in my life. Can you imagine drinking this with a Mega Mac? It’s 160ml (or 5.4 ounces), it cost 53 Yen, and it came in a heavy duty can. Speaking of cans, a lot of canned drinks here in Japan are pretty strong. I’d say they are somewhere in the middle of an American beer can and a can of vegetables. I was in a rush so the only thing I had hand to compare size was an 8 ounce coffee mug.
I’ve read the SkyMall magazine over and over while waiting for a plane to take off and I’m sure I’m not alone! I’ve never bought anything from the magazine but I did see something that made me go ‘wtf’ the other day when checking out their site… for just $225 you can have your very own Sumo table.
“Basho, The Sumo Wrestler” Glass-Topped Table
Add a touch of the Far East with “Basho” (Japanese for “tournament”), a traditional Sumo practitioner of one of the world’s oldest martial arts. Basho crouches in his mawashi (Sumo belt) in these intricate sculpts with wide stances. Our table is topped with a 3/8″-thick, pencil-edged, 27″ dia. tempered glass top for views from any angle. This Toscano-exclusive heavyweight is cast in quality designer resin for display in home or garden.
The other day I bought this at the hyaku yen store (it’s basically like the Dollar Store or Dollar Tree in the U.S. but way more awesome). The quality of this 100 Yen notebook is great and I could see somebody paying 200-250 for it. The battery is dead in my camera so I used my cell phone to snap a quick pic. The English on the cover doesn’t make sense… even when I try hard. It reminds me of a time back in the U.S. when a Taiwanese friend of mine pointed out a framed picture at the store read ‘vegetable’ in Chinese but was supposed to say peace or love or something. Good times, good times.
“If I were an angel, could I send my favor to everyone all the world?”
Akihabara = Otaku paradise… and now you can take a 4 minute walk from Akihabara for a good night sleep before hitting up the Maid Cafe in the morning. Nice!
For just 4,000 Yen per night you can sleep in a capsule which looks like the size of a coffin. A coffin with a shit load of stuff packed inside so you can feel trapped in a hole. Even though each capsule is small as hell it comes with TV, radio, alarm clock, adjustable lighting. I wonder if I’d fit in there being 190 cm tall. They have a lounge area with internet and have 100 Yen coffee. I’ve been searching for a cheap ass cafe here in Fukuoka with 100 Yen coffee so I’m a little bit jealous of that. So far I’ve found 300+ yen coffee which is ridiculous because I could get 350ml of coffee for 320 Yen or for just 80 Yen more I could enjoy some bomb ass ramen. Seriously, what’s up with that?
The site says “Everybody that travels to Japan should experience this unique accommodation, at least once” but I don’t get it… they have a men’s section and a women’s section. How are you supposed to get it on with your woman with this setup?
Check out their site and make your reservation today! Then email me and tell me what it’s like because I’ll probably never hit one up. CapsuleInn.com
Here are a few videos so you can tour a capsule hotel (but it’s not the one from capsuleinn)
Continue reading ‘Japanese Capsule Hotel’
Some people use a futon in the bedroom laying on tatami and then they put it away during the day. Others have a couch that converts to a bed. But I have found the ultimate solution today! Seems pretty cool and very uncomfortable which is the Japanese way (futon = not comfortable, small cards = not comfortable for tall people, etc) Check this out.
It’s a 2+1 [Chairs + Table]
http://www.sdesignunit.com/
The young singles ratio is getting increase in the society. These people live alone in small apartment in the city. They would like to have multipurpose furniture for using small room efficiently. There are two chairs and on table. Ordinary these are two chairs and table. But When they watch TV. It can be Sofa. And when they go to sleep. It is going to be a single bed.
If you leave it unattended in a place (the inside of car) becoming a high temperature and might transform it when it can get closer to fire. Please dry printed matter such as a magic, a copy, fax well, and enter.
Good times good times! I think this was on some small note cards or adhesive paper we bought. Get ready for some more crazy stuff in the future!
Does this exist in other countries? I’m talking about Love Hotels. There are different themed rooms to choose from, they make money (nearly 3 trillion yen in annual sales), but the downside is they’ve been associated with with gangs and red-light districts. Booooo 
I read about Love Hotel investing today on Yahoo:
Japan’s secretive love hotels are opening up to European investors as one player in the sector prepares for a debut on London’s stock market this month.
Japan Leisure Hotels, which owns five love hotels worth some 21 million pounds ($43.68 million USD) in Japan, hopes to lure investors to its IPO with an 8 percent dividend and promises of fast growth — shedding light on a sector that is often associated with sleaze and organized crime.
Japan’s 25,000 or so love hotels have long provided discreet hideaways for couples, some featuring Karaoke machines or vibrating beds. Guernsey-based Japan Leisure Hotels rents out rooms for short stays lasting only a few hours, but the company’s director believes this system doesn’t just appeal to thrill-seekers…
Continue reading ‘Investing in Love Hotels!’
